News, views, food, books and other writings, with the assist of character dolls. My art blog, dealing with fine art, exhibits and works in progress, is http://beautifulmetaphor.blogspot.com.
Please note that all pictures and text are copyright to Liz Adams, and may not be used in any form without explicit permission. Thank you for respecting my ownership.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Beginnings

Happy First of January!

And the houseplants are putting out encouraging new beginnings. They are so microscopic that I have no pix! you have to peer up close to see them at all, but they're there. Later when they're ready for their close up, I'll provide one.

The Norfolk Island pine has put out yet more growth, amazingly fast for this plant, which was so happy to be put in a smaller pot than the original owner had it in, and to have a pot to itself, not be asked to share with an ivy. The ivy has done well, too.

The begonia's sprays of pink Spring flowers are already busting out in miniature, and I must check with the friend I gave one to last year, to see if he's observed that his are flowering, too. He won't notice until it's pointed out, and he'll be thrilled.

And the sanseveria, snake plant, cutting I swiped from another friend last year after caring for hers on my deck all summer, and which I studied to see how to take cuttings, has put out, finally, finally, three tiny little shoots, yay. The number of times I nearly gave up hope that they would ever grow, very glad I didn't get around to tossing them. This is a slow grower.

I had to study how to do the cuttings and found that they will only take if you plant the little segment in the earth in the same orientation as on the plant, north and south exactly as they grew. Otherwise they get confused and don't grow. I'm guessing something to do with the earth's magnetic polarity.

And today, looking up to make sure I got the name right, I found that they are associated with dragons! apparently they are a dragon magnet, so I'd better look out.

I love your houseplant posts! My favorite post of yours, which I neglected to comment on in a timely fashion, was your one about repotting plants for your neighbor and friends. Happy new beginnings indeed!